The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-04
or Robert g. Hall, Who Kills His
Alleged Wife and Attempts to
Stay Himself.
THE VICTIM AN OBJECT TO BE
MURDERED.
Her Real Husband Tried to DO the
Job Which the Pretender Did
SO Successfully.
MRS. CIGNARALESENTENCED TO
BE HANGED
On the 22d Instant, for. the Murder
Of Her Husband-A Double Trag-
edy at Braceville, Ill.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, June 3.-Robert
q. Hall, aged thirty-four years, shot
and killed Mrs. Lillian Rivers, aged
thirty years, about o'clock this morn.
ing, at No. 938 North Tenth street,
where the couple were living az man
and wife under the name OF Burton.
Mrs. Rivers was the wife of James W.
Rivers, an actor, known to the probes
sion as james Reynolds. A remsrka-
BILE coincidence with the present TRACE
dy was the attempt of Rivers to take
mrs. Riverb's life on April 18th for
keeping company with the man Hall,
who today succeeded in doing what
Rivers attempted two months ago. On
the date mentioned, Rivers shot at his
wife, but inflicted only slight wound
in the hip. He then shot himself in
the he ad and breast and lay in the
hospital several weeks, but subse-
quently recovered, and with bis son
and daughter he left yesterday for To-
peka, Kas. Hall is poet and actor,
but had not been very successful in
either OF these professions. He and
Mrs. Rivers have been intimate for some
time, but the lsdy with whom they
boarded says they have been lately
quarreling great deal. Last evening,
after a quarrel, Mrs. Rivers left the
house and remained all night with an
acquaintance on Eleventh street.
Early this morning she had warrant
issued for Halls arrest, charging him
with assault and battery. Before the
warrant was served, however, she
visited Hall in his room, and the land
lady, few moments later, heard pis.
toll shots in the loom. A policeman
was called, and on going to the room
Mrs. Rivers was found dead with two
bullet holes in her head and her throat
cut from ear to ear. Hall was lying
ON the floor unconscious, he having
cut his throat with q RI zor. He wss
removed to the German Hospital, and
it is thought bis injuries will not prove
fatal. Several letters written by Hall
were found in the room, the contents
of which showed that the deed, was
premeditated. A sealed letter was ad-
dressed to James Rivers, Topeka,
Kan, and another, which was un.
sealed, was directed to Halls father,
John M. P. Hall, 2l27 Morgan street,
st. Louis, Mo. 1t was dated May Is, and
informed his father that by the time
the letter reached him his life would
have been ended by his own hand.
Hall left letter addressed to the cor
enef asking that his father, who re-
sides in st. Louis, be notified of his
death, and requesting that such dispo-
sition be made Of his body Us his
father may direct. In the room was
also found a marriage contract signed
Robert O. Burton and Lillian E. Riv. |
ers, in which they pledged themselves
in marriage "the came as though such
bad been contaminated by ceremony"
When Hall found this morning that
his efforts at suicide were unavailing
he tore the flesh from the wound with
his hands. The physicians this after
noon entertain very little hope of his
recovery. He is very weak from the
loss of blood and is in precarious